Lynn McFarlan-Randall, 70
Lynn McFarlan-Randall of Acton — devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and friend — passed away on December 26 after three years of declining health due to liver cancer. “I love hearing people’s stories,” she’d often say. That curiosity shaped a life of connection, thoughtfulness, and purpose.
Born June 11, 1955, in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, and raised in Glencoe, Illinois, Lynn discovered early the joys that would guide her life — books, learning, and connecting with others. She followed these threads through her studies, earning a bachelor’s from Lewis & Clark College and a master’s in English literature from Wesleyan University.
Teaching gave Lynn a natural stage for her love of story and instinct for people. Over four decades in Oregon, Switzerland, Providence, and Boston, her conversational teaching style led students to their own understandings and instilled in them a lifelong love of literature. Colleagues trusted her as a quiet force who built programs, untangled knots, and moved projects forward. At Winsor School, she poured herself into expanding opportunities for students and strengthening the ties between families and school. She co-founded the Parent Network for Diversity and, as Parents Association director, built community with her trademark mix of warmth and foresight.
Lynn wove family, friendship, church, and work into a life of deep meaning and one she lived with zest, enjoying reading, craft projects, and adventuresome trips. With her husband Chris of 38 years and their two daughters, she built a life where conversation flourished, meals were explorations of world cuisines, and bicycles carried her over many joyful miles. Lynn often reminded her daughters, “Be good to your friends,” advice she embodied daily. She had a gift for nurturing relationships — sending a note, remembering a birthday, planning a gathering, or finding just the right gift.
Lynn cut a striking figure, her black outfits brought to life by colorful scarves. Necklaces and dangling earrings caught the light; silver bracelets chimed softly as she moved. Her presence lingers in every conversation she sparked, every friendship she fostered, and in the communities she helped to weave together. Her thoughtfulness, boundless energy, and gift for bringing people together brought joy to many.
She is survived by her husband Chris Randall; her two daughters Emma Randall of San Francisco (fiancé Matheus Larenzo) and Becca Long of Houston (son-in-law Mike Long and grandson Theodore); and her sister Susan McFarlan of Osprey, Florida. She was predeceased by her parents, Katherine P. and Tracy W. McFarlan, and her brother John W. McFarlan.
A celebration of Lynn’s life will be held at First Parish in Acton at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 7. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Lynn’s name to the Winsor School (Advancement, 103 Pilgrim Road, Boston, MA 02215) or to the Westport River Watershed Alliance (493 Old County Road, Westport, MA 02790).
